In 2023, 3,296 work-related accidents were registered for a daily average of eight incidents. "While the total number of occupational accidents fell by 11 percent, it could be the result of a considerable cooling of the economy. It is also to be believed that minor accidents are often not reported in fear of losing one's job," said Kaire Saarep, director general of the Estonian Labor Inspectorate.

Ten people lost their lives at work last year. Their average age was 30-45 years. Nine were men and one a woman.

"Over the last 29 years, 739 people have lost their lives while performing professional duties. While the situation has improved greatly since 1995, no one should perish while working," Saarep said, adding that it is likely around 20 children lost a parent as a result of these accidents in 2023.

Construction remains one of the more problematic sectors, seeing 281 work-related accidents, three of them fatal in 2023.

Inga Koit, senior labor inspector and lawyer for the Labor Inspectorate, said that while the number of work-related accidents in construction has been falling for five consecutive years, most of this year's incidents could have been avoided.

"Half the time, employers do not sufficiently check for compliance with safety requirements at the workplace or for the tools used, but on the other hand, employees themselves often do not adhere to safety regulations. For example, in the construction sector, there are frequently issues with the use of personal protective equipment, even though employers have often provided these to the employees," Koit said.

Last year's complicated economic situation led to a 23 percent increase in the number of labor disputes.

A total of 2,297 claims were submitted to the labor dispute committee, of which 2,046 came from employees and 251 from employers. In 2023, the total amount of claims submitted was €11.4 million (compared to €9 million in 2022).

Claims were fully satisfied to the amount of €1.8 million, and compromises were made to the extent of €2.3 million. Employees most commonly demanded unpaid work and vacation pay.

The situation is most complicated in the transportation sector, where the risk of accidents and the damages are significant.

"Employers have started to present damage claims to employees without mitigating the company's risks. In almost all cases of damage claims filed by companies against bus drivers, the employer lacked comprehensive (casco) insurance because it represents an additional cost for the company. The absence of comprehensive insurance puts bus drivers in a difficult position, as they must defend themselves in labor dispute committees and later in court. One of the largest damage claims in the transportation sector was over €100,000, which would create a debt burden for a regular employee for their entire life. This could be one of the reasons for the significant labor shortage in the transportation sector," commented Üllar Kallas, head of the Estonian Transport and Road Workers' Trade Union.

He emphasized that companies must take greater responsibility by insuring their property themselves, rather than leaving business risks for the employees to bear.

"One way to prevent workplace accidents is by creating and consistently updating a workplace risk analysis in the Labor Inspectorate's self-service portal. During the risk assessment process, the employer identifies workplace hazards, assesses the magnitude of the danger and determines measures to reduce risks. As of now, 73 percent of Estonian companies have submitted their risk assessments to the Labor Inspectorate's self-service, saving nearly €13 million thanks to the free module, considering that preparing one risk assessment document costs the company about €500."

The Labor Inspectorate's 2023 yearbook can be found at the link.

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